Mail-box.



. Patented June- 25, I901! V. E. RANDALL.

MAIL BOX.

(Application filed May 9, 1900.)

.(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT- nron.

VICTOR E. RANDALL, OF BURLINGTON, MICHIGAN.

MAIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 676,913, dated June 25,1901.

Application filed May 91 1900.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VICTOR E. RANDALL, residing at Burlington, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Mail- Boxes; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates more especially to that class of mail-boxes used for country or rural delivery.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the mailbox. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the up per part of the mail-box with the lid closed, and Fig. 3 isa vertical cross-section of the upper part of the mail-box with the lid open.

The object of this invention is to provide a box for mail-packets that will be simple in construction and operation and mail-packets be placed therein or taken from a take-up compartment with one hand, be so arranged that mail may be placed therein by the carrier and the same be removable therefrom only through a compartment capable of lock and key, be provided with a compartment or take-up box for outgoing mail under the same lid or cover within which ,mail is also delivered, and be provided with a device operative as a balance to the lid and as a signal indicative of mail-matter for the carrier to pick up. Its construction is as follows:

A is a case, preferably of sheet metal, constructed in rectangular form. The case is surmounted by a lid 13, made in a horizontal semicylind rical form, having downwardly-extending edges 1) c, and it is secured to the case A by hinges a. The lid is so arranged that its extension b,to which the hinges a are secured, falls within the case A, while its oppositeextension 0 comes over and terminates at a point below the top of the case about in line with the extension 6, and its edge cl is flared outward to form a grip or lip to tilt the same. This lid is provided with double end pieces D and E, the set D falling within the case A, and from the lower edge of the projection b, to which they are secured, these ends are formed arcshaped and form quadrants. The ends E to the lid project over the smart. 16,032. (No model.)

case and from the hinges Ct are curved to the edge at on the opposite side 0. Centrally located upon the lid a signal H, consisting, preferably, of a globe of metal, is placed. Vertically passing through the axis thereof a pin or stud Z, having its upper end threaded and provided with a spring 13, under control of a bur j, is secured.

One side of the globe or signal H should be of a color or design differing from its opposite side and from the line of the surmounting box. As mail is deposited by the owner of the box in the compartment 0 for the mail-carrier to take up, the signal H should be turned indicative of outgoing mail, as will be shown in Fig. 3. The mail having been picked up, the carrier should reverse the signal. H also acts as a balance to the lid in keeping the same poised or tilted when the same is .thrown back on its hinges.

Within the case A and arranged at its front and near its top a stationary compartment 0, extending the length of the case, is provided. This compartment is designed for outgoing mail-matter, and it is for the convenience of the carrier in taking upoutgoing mail F, as will be shown in Fig. 3. I prefer to construct the compartment 0 with a back 6, extending somewhat above the top of the case, and it may also form a projection or stopfand a downwardly and inwardly extending curved apron g, the object of the apron being'to form a barrier when the lid B is partially tilted from persons molesting mail within the box below.

Awater-shed h, consisting of an outwardlyextending L-shaped strip, is located immediately above the hinges a to the lid B, and a like strip k is located above the door G.

The operation of myinvention is as follows: The grip d to the lid B being raised, the aforesaid lid tilts backward on the hinges a until the extension I) strikes the stop f. Should there be outgoing mail-matter found within the compartment or collection-box C, the carrier withdraws the same for forwarding, and if there is no mail to be deposited by him the lid is then closed. Should the carrier have mail to deliver, the lid is raised, as aforesaid, and such parcelor mail packet is placed backward of the projection e within the aforesaid lid, Fig. 3, and as the lid Bis turned again to its normal position its extension I) tilts downward, letting the contents thereof into the lower compartment of the case A.

The lid B answers the twofold purpose of automatically depositing mail as left by the carrier into the safety sealed compartment, and at the same time it provides a cover to the unsealed compartment or collection-box O and in itself is capable of being opened or tilted at any and all times.

It is found in this style of box that large and bulky packages may be quickly and easily deposited and the same be securely sealed from observation or removal Without the unlocking of its sealed compartment. A door G, under the control of lock and key, is provided, and it may be placed anywhere on the case A below the working of the lid B, as may be found expedient and convenient.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a-mail-box the combination with the case A, of the semicylindrical lid B hinged to the upper rear edge of the case and having downWardly-extendin g sides, the side to which the hinges are secured falling Within the case, and its opposite side falling outside of the case, the said lid being provided with double end pieces, an inner set falling within the case describing a quadrant from the hinged portion, an outer set forming ends to that portion of the lid outside of the case, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a mail-box, the combination with the case A, of the stationary open 1nail-compart ment 0, located within the upper forward porfrom the lower edge of the back extension to the forward outer wall of said case, an outer set of end pieces forming ends to that portion of the lid outside of the case, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a mail-box in combination with the case A, of the take-up compartment 0 having the extension-back 6, stop f, and apron g, and a semicylindrical lid 13 having the double ends D, and E, and extensions 6, c, the extension 7) being secured to the upper and rear edge of the case A and adapted to fall within said case, and the extension 0 adapted to set over the forward side of the case, the extension 1) having the ends D adapted to coincide with the arc of the apron g and engage the stopf when said lid is tilted, the ends E e'ngaging that part of the lid outside of the case substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a mail-box the combination with the case A, of the lid 13 and balance H surmounting said lid, said balance secured to the lid by a stud or post passing vertically through the center thereof and a spring adapted to impinge said balance by means of a bur run on said stud, said balance comprising a sig nal and adapted to be turned on its axis for the purposes set forth.

5. In a mail-box the combination with the case A, of the lid 13, and the balance H consisting of a globe or ball surmounting the central apex ofthe lid and secured thereto by a stud Z passing vertically through the axis thereof, a springi and a bur j run on said stud above the ball to impinge said ball, said balance being provided with a device on one side thereof to act asa signal indicative of mail-matter when said ball is turned on the stud Z, for that purpose, for the purposes set forth and described.

VICTOR E. RANDALL.

Witnesses:

M. M. ENGLE, I. L. RANDALL. 

